7-Kerbala

Bismillah hir Rahman nir Rahim

As Kerbala approaches, the nerves set in. After walking for 2 to 3 days straight, the anticipation of meeting your beloved Imam builds with each step you take forward.  I am arriving at your place of rest, oh Aba Abdillah, broken, tired, aching and desperate to be by your side. Not much further until you see those

beautiful golden dome reflecting their splendor and majesty over the city of martyrs.
The footpath gets wider, busier.  The number of Iraqis serving the zuwaar increase as well, until finally you

enter the boundary of the city.  Stick together with your group, recite dua, ask for forgiveness often, help those having trouble walking and make sure you  know the address of where you are staying in Kerbala.
The further in you get, the busier it is, head toward your lodging so you can drop your luggage and have your ghusl.

Some guidance on the manners of ziarat can be found on http://duas.org/ziaratiraq.htm.
If you have your children with you, I suggest that you do not leave them with anyone but yourself or someone else who you know to be 100% responsible.  Try and visit the shrines at off peak times, non-salat times, etc.  If you wish to pray salaat inside the shrines, expect to leave at least 2 hours before the time, as the queue to enter are very long.  Again, do not carry anything in excess and expect to delay things by carrying bags or purses filled with belongings. Phones and cameras are not allowed inside and must be kept in amanat.
Expect walking from your lodging, depending on the location, to take double the time it normally would.  Try and go in groups and hold on to one another, especially sisters. The men are very respectful and try and stay on one side, however, there are times, when it is so crowded with zuwaar that men and women end up in close proximity of one another.
Try to avoid shopping in the bazaar during busy times, I recommend doing your shopping in Najaf rather than Kerbala but if you must, then try and do this at off peak times (not right before or after salaat times).
If you get lost make sure you as a group choose a point of reference to always go back to. Either back to the lodging or a clock tower or a certain shoe stall (remember the shoe stall number).

On Arbaeen, the phone service doesn't work due to the large number of users.  Keep that in mind when trying to coordinate meeting places or times.  If you are not with a group, it is quite difficult to leave Kerbala the day of Arbaeen and probably the day after. You basically have to walk at least 10 miles out and then find a mode of transport to take you to the nearest town with available cabs.  We rode on those large yellow freight trucks, which fill up with zuwaar within minutes.

6-The Walk to Kerbala

Our flag to keep the group together

Bismillah hir Rahman nir Rahim

 'If one of our Shia goes for Imam Husain's (a.s.) Ziarat, then he will not return but all his sins will be forgiven. For every step that he or his mount takes, 1,000 virtues are written for him, 1,000 sins are forgiven and his status is elevated by a 1,000 degrees.' (Behaarul Anwar, vol 101, pg 25, tradition 26; Kamiluz Ziaraat, pg 134)

If you are planning on walking the some 80km to Kerbala to Najaf, it takes about 3 days. It is not easy but its something that every person should experience in their lifetime. If you have the opportunity to do so, then do it, you may not get the chance again. I saw many children walking as well. Most kids over 10 should have no problem. Keep them distracted, have frequent breaks, feed them often and make sure they are hydrated.

What to take
Plan on packing a comfortable shoe/trainer with good support, but don't buy a brand new pair that you haven't broken into because most likely it will break you in the form of callouses or other sores on your heel or toes.  We tend to worry too much, as even ordinary flip flops will do. I wore 5 year old worn out trainers-they did the job and I had a sense of humility in them whilst approaching Kerbala.

Only take essentials with you-(this list is if your group is not bringing your luggage to Kerbala for you)
-Spare undergarments-long sleeve t shirt/track suit bottoms/socks
-Hijab
-Towel-if you are staying at a Hussainiya
-Small bottle of soap and shampoo-depending on how long you are staying
-Photocopied Ziarat guide for Kerbala-(books can be heavy)
-Chapstick
-Small med kit (I took a few of everything and put in zip lock bag)
-Spare glasses or contacts
-Small roll of toilet paper
-Spare sheet (if you want to use in the tents that you stay at on the way)
-Phone charger and adapter

If your group is bringing your luggage then you need even less- use a backpack or sports sac so your hands are free
1) light book of dua
2)gloves/hat/scarf/shawl
3)socks
4)phone charger/adapter
5)small ziplock of any meds you need
6)chap stick
7)undergarments

We bought a flag in Najaf and made a make shift pole  to keep our group together. If you are travelling with a proper group they will have these.

What to Expect

We tend to panic about everything before we get there- will there be water? what will I do if I get tired? what if my feet hurt?, etc.
Be reassured that you will be experience such selfless generosity by the Iraqi people, including little children and the elderly, that your perception of humanity will indefinitely alter.

There were plastic chairs lined the walking route in case you needed a rest, tents set up, if you wanted to pray, sleep or eat. Whatever you needed at the time, seemed to telepathically appear before you like you were on a road of blessings and dua. Hot sugary Iraqi tea, containers of waters, biscuits, a hot meal of rice and dhaal and even a swig of perfumed oil.

My 13 yr old daughter waited
for 30 mins for those chips to
cook- some of the servers saw her
and brought it straight to her out
of all the crowd. May Allah(swt)
bless them.

Initially, you may worry, what if I get sick (which you may), what if the glasses are not clean, etc. I can only tell you this, people are doing this for the love of Imam Husayn(as) and you are walking for the same reason.  This is a selfless love that is rare in this world, let go of any fear you harbor and accept what is being graciously provided with a reciprocal love.

Massage station

When your feet get blistered and calloused there were medical stations ready to
assist. When your back and legs were aching there were massage stations set up willing to aid you in your discomfort.  Such beauty is the love of Imam al Husayn (as).

If you really are having difficulty and need to stop walking you can catch a van to Kerbala.

Most people walk between Fajr and Maghrib, we mainly walked throughout the night as we found it less crowded and easier to stick together.

Tents- Mawakib
They are set up everywhere, usually a tent with blankets and pillows.  If you are travelling with a group they most likely have specific camps to stop at.

Toilets
I found only Asian toilets but supposedly there are Western ones installed at specific poles.
The link for a listing of the poles:  http://www.duas.org/walkoffree.htm#List_westernwc

Excellent Resource Site: http://www.duas.org/walkoffree.htm- 

Najaf to Kerbala Walking Guide Summary Total Distance 80 Km Total Number of Poles 1452 Poles Distance Between Each Poles 50 meters [20 Poles = 1 Km] Approx. Walking Time Required 20 to 25 hours Estimated Time to Reach the Destination 2-3 Days Preferred Start Time 17th Safar  - After Fajr – 6:45 AM Expected Completion Time (InshaAllah) 19th Safar – Dhuhr – 12 PM Who Can Do This? Anyone (Male/Female/Families) Also at 15 shaban , Arafat, Ashura
Directions: Take an Exit from Imam Ali (AS) Haram from Bab-e-Tousi (Opposite to Bab-e-Qibla) and start walking straight on Shahra-e-Tousi - After about 500 meters, Wadi-us-Salam Cemetry will start - Keep walking straight and you will eventually get to the Highway, turn left, where hundreds of thousands of people will be walking towards Karbala – Join them and you will reach Haram of Hazrat Abbas (A.S) after about 75 Km. at Pole # 1452. Landmarks (Poles):
Poles Starts After	10 Km.
Pole # 1	Ministry Office on Left side of the Road
Pole # 345	Concrete Walls - Temporary Checkposts
Pole # 578	City of Haidariya - Haidariya Hospital
Pole # 647	Proper Permanent Washrooms
Pole # 960	Large Checkposts
Pole # 1183	Checkpost
Pole # 1237	Imam Ali (AS) City - Washrooms, Mosque, Rest Area etc.
Pole # 1252	Ministry of Import/Export - Office
Pole # 1285	Checking Checkpost - Entrance of Karbala
Pole # 1294	[Optional] Turn Right - Shortcut – After about 4 Km - Poles will again start from 1404 (Most People Do Take this Shortcut)
Pole # 1404	First Sight to Rosa e Hazrat Abbas (A.S) - People who Have Turn Right at 1294 will Join here (Note: Remove your Shoes in Respect to Haram)
Pole # 1452	End of Poles
50 Meters	Bab-e-Qibla - Rosa-e-Hazrat Abbas (A.S)

4: Travel to Iraq

Bismillah hir Rahman nir Rahim

Travel to Iraq-

Reciting Dua at the train station

2 feet and falling

As it snowed 2 feet the day of our flight from Mashad to Tehran, all flights going out were cancelled. We had to get to Tehran before our connecting flight to Iraq and there was absolutely no option of catching a later flight as this was beyond a busy time to travel to Iraq.We quickly cut short our farewell to the grandson of Imam Husain(as) packed and made our way to the train station, in hopes of catching a 12 hour train back to Tehran before the Iran Air flight to Najaf.  A feeling of helplessness fell over us as we realized that we may be denied the invitation that once seemed secure and safe.  With my sister in law handling the negotiations, we could only recite dua and ask Allah(swt) to grace us with some kind of divine alternative to get us to Tehran. We were going to have to prove our sincerity that day, our love and desire to be near Imam Husayn(as) on Arbaeen, marking the 40th day after his martyrdom.

By the grace of Allah(swt) our dua were accepted and we were permitted to sit on the train, in the staff chambers.  My dua to the train staff who gave up their quarters for us, we also prayed for them on our ziarat in Iraq, which is all they requested of us, mashAllah.

After our 12 hour train ride back, we had to catch a cab to the airport- all of which we were running with bags in toe.  Eventually, after a few hours wait at the airport we got our boarding passes for Najaf al Ashraf airport, alhumdulillah.  When booking an airport in Iraq, choose Najaf not Baghdad, as its safer and also not as chaotic.

Visa
Your group should organize your visa for you but if travelling on your own, as we did, you have to make the arrangements before. We were told we would get our visa upon arrival. After paying an extra $100 on top we were then issued the visa as they were to be organized beforehand.

Lodging
If making your own arrangements, organize them well in advance as Arbaeen is seriously the largest gathering in the world. If you plan on winging it, you are mistaken.  We made some last minute arrangements to stay at a Husaineyia but they were quite a distance from the city center and the haram itself and we would have to take a cab every time we wished to go.  Also when you are sharing a space with other pilgrims, its hard to have any privacy or keep your luggage safe.  There was also no place to have a shower, except with a bucket and a hole. These are all minor issues, as we are all gathered together for the same reason and should be considered blessed to even have gotten this far, especially considering I wasn't expecting to make it.

 We came to agreement that we would call a family member who was studying in Najaf and ask them if we could come and stay with them, which thankfully they insisted. They live within a stones throw of the haram as well.